Sitting in the Lima Airport awaiting an 01:30 flight to LAX...
It has been an adventure ....
I arrived with no drama a week ago Thursday. Most of the team followed in on Saturday....hence the adventure begins....they had every piece of luggage opened and had stuff confiscated...Peru customs looked at every expiration date even of stuff that it did not matter. Then the team finally made it to the flight to Cuzco....when their jet attempted to land in Cuzco there were dangerous crooks winds. And when they were almost ready to land the pilot pulled up and took off feet above the ground then circled and re tried...safely landed not with out a few heart beats theat raced.
Then we experienced a 5.1 earthquake...not over the top huge....but enough to wake us from our sleep and not a comforting feeling in Adobe brick building.
Then team members started going down with travelers disentery ...a 16 year old was puking his guts out and running a heart rate of 44? Probably vaso-vagle response...then another person got seriously sick...we thought she might need to be med-evacuated out...she dropped her O2 Sat to 49, was cyanotic...very scary. Spent 24 hours on O2 and IV finally she was well enough to make the trip to Cuzco for a blood test to rule out a pulmonary embolism. Lucky it was negative....we may never know what happened. A few more folks needed antibiotics and IV's.
Then we departed for Cuzco...stuffed 11 into a van along with 13 large trunks and 11 personal bags...quite the sight.
We arrive in Cuzco..checked in and awaited our flight to Lima...the the flight was canceled ...half the team got on a early flight the half of us had to wait 2 hours for the next flight with open seats......
Such is the way of travel in developing countries...
The good news is that we completed 28 surgeries and the patients all did well...and the Doc's probably saw 200 additional patients.
Needless to say we are all looking forward to getting home...and are grateful for working with a wonderful team. We all realize how fortunate we are to come to this magical place .
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Monday....first day under our belts....
Well today was a testimony to the experience of our team...this was the best first day of any mission trip. While we only did 5 cases...everything went without a hitch. I have confidence that even if there was an issue this team would respond flawlessly.
We all headed into Pisac for dinner our original destination did not open until 8 so we ended up at the Pisac Inn. The waitress was incredible...waiting on 17 folks is a hard act. Those who were served first were done by the time the last got served but it was not a problem.
Once again one of my favorite things is squishing on the public bus and rubbing elbows with the locals. I had a seat to start but gave it up to a señora. So I sat shot gun with the driver...not reassuring...I'd rather not see how fast they go.
Kate hooked me up with some Benadryl which afforded me my first full nights sleep woot woot.
The election is next Sunday so EVERY night there are loud political parties until late into the night. And then there are the dogs....there is a threat of darting all the neighborhood dogs with Ketamine....
Off to conquer the second day...
We all headed into Pisac for dinner our original destination did not open until 8 so we ended up at the Pisac Inn. The waitress was incredible...waiting on 17 folks is a hard act. Those who were served first were done by the time the last got served but it was not a problem.
Once again one of my favorite things is squishing on the public bus and rubbing elbows with the locals. I had a seat to start but gave it up to a señora. So I sat shot gun with the driver...not reassuring...I'd rather not see how fast they go.
Kate hooked me up with some Benadryl which afforded me my first full nights sleep woot woot.
The election is next Sunday so EVERY night there are loud political parties until late into the night. And then there are the dogs....there is a threat of darting all the neighborhood dogs with Ketamine....
Off to conquer the second day...
Sunday, September 28, 2014
A quiet visit to the market, the team arrives, earthquake ...
Sept 27-28
Had a quiet morning strolling around the village. Then took a comvie to Pisac. The market is a bit smaller than on Sunday, and very quiet and relaxed. Did some shopping for friends. Went to my favorite baker for an empanadas...yum. The oven is 12 feet wide and six feet high!
Coming back on the bus we noticed that there was a fire going up the hillside where we had driven yesterday.
Came back in time for the team to arrive in Coya. We did some set up then retreated to the guest house for. A team meeting and Pisco sours and dinner.
Most of us went to bed by 9:30-10 ....just in time for the earthquake just outside Cusco..apparently it was 4.9. Unfortunately there were 9 fatalities and there are 4 missing. There was no damage to the village we are in.
The team headed in to Pisac for dinner to a fun pizza place. We took over the whole restaurant...again there was the threat of tequila shots...but no tequila was to be had in Pisac. Lot's of laughs...a good team.
Had a quiet morning strolling around the village. Then took a comvie to Pisac. The market is a bit smaller than on Sunday, and very quiet and relaxed. Did some shopping for friends. Went to my favorite baker for an empanadas...yum. The oven is 12 feet wide and six feet high!
Coming back on the bus we noticed that there was a fire going up the hillside where we had driven yesterday.
Came back in time for the team to arrive in Coya. We did some set up then retreated to the guest house for. A team meeting and Pisco sours and dinner.
Most of us went to bed by 9:30-10 ....just in time for the earthquake just outside Cusco..apparently it was 4.9. Unfortunately there were 9 fatalities and there are 4 missing. There was no damage to the village we are in.
The team headed in to Pisac for dinner to a fun pizza place. We took over the whole restaurant...again there was the threat of tequila shots...but no tequila was to be had in Pisac. Lot's of laughs...a good team.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Qoya and Sihaur
Friday Sept 26
Had a lovely breakfast at the Qoya Guest house...typical Peruvian fare..Maté de cocca tea, pan and avocado. As I walked across the plaza to the clinic I heard someone calling my name...an odd thing to happen... Lourdes a Peruvian Sister of the Holy Names is here doing parish work. She will join our team on Monday with Brigid Bauman. I had the honor of joining her last year at some of her projects in Lima. She is trying to offer some early childhood development classes and parenting classes.
Then I met Guido and two friends of this to drive up into the mountains to a very remot and poor village. They have raised money to buy a 15 passenger van to transport the kids of highschool age to a regional HS. The village has a primary school but the older kids cannot afforda taxi everyday so they have been dropping out of school.
When we arrived we were greeted and escorted up to the soccer pitch where the village had assembled. The kids were lined up to dance and sing. The elders and school official gathered. This was to honor Guido and Carlos for helping the village...I wanted to go sit on the side lines away from the lime light...but no i also became an honored guest. Guido introduced me as a nurse from the United States. The women of the village processed up and sprinkled confetti over our heads which is a ritual of welcome. Then the kids sang the national anthem. There were 4 or 5 different performances then some speeches. Then Guido in a reciprocal act played the accordion ...which prompted the older kids to come over and ask us to dance...Lordy Lordy ....and not even with the benifit of alcohol ....but there was no declining to be had...
Then they presented us with theses beautiful handmade scarves. I thought we were done but no....we were accompanied up to the library where we were to be fed...."organic" "farm to table meal" 1/2 a cui, a whole trout, 3 potatoes, and coke a cola....oh did I mention there were no utensils...or that cui is guinea pig.
This feast was then followed by a wild ride down the mountain...the taxi driver was taking a short cut...the road...think over grown cow path....and the cows did not want to share the road...in fact when the driver honked the horn one turned around and squared off and stared at us. Also imagine "S" curve turns....many where you can not see where the road is going...looks like you will fly off the road into the air. Closed my eyes and held on...and prayed that I would not lose my life on a road in the Andes...phew I get another day.
I was then met by Meri Paz and Appo and their new baby Eduardo ...oh stinkin cute.
!!!
Had a lovely breakfast at the Qoya Guest house...typical Peruvian fare..Maté de cocca tea, pan and avocado. As I walked across the plaza to the clinic I heard someone calling my name...an odd thing to happen... Lourdes a Peruvian Sister of the Holy Names is here doing parish work. She will join our team on Monday with Brigid Bauman. I had the honor of joining her last year at some of her projects in Lima. She is trying to offer some early childhood development classes and parenting classes.
Then I met Guido and two friends of this to drive up into the mountains to a very remot and poor village. They have raised money to buy a 15 passenger van to transport the kids of highschool age to a regional HS. The village has a primary school but the older kids cannot afforda taxi everyday so they have been dropping out of school.
When we arrived we were greeted and escorted up to the soccer pitch where the village had assembled. The kids were lined up to dance and sing. The elders and school official gathered. This was to honor Guido and Carlos for helping the village...I wanted to go sit on the side lines away from the lime light...but no i also became an honored guest. Guido introduced me as a nurse from the United States. The women of the village processed up and sprinkled confetti over our heads which is a ritual of welcome. Then the kids sang the national anthem. There were 4 or 5 different performances then some speeches. Then Guido in a reciprocal act played the accordion ...which prompted the older kids to come over and ask us to dance...Lordy Lordy ....and not even with the benifit of alcohol ....but there was no declining to be had...
Then they presented us with theses beautiful handmade scarves. I thought we were done but no....we were accompanied up to the library where we were to be fed...."organic" "farm to table meal" 1/2 a cui, a whole trout, 3 potatoes, and coke a cola....oh did I mention there were no utensils...or that cui is guinea pig.
This feast was then followed by a wild ride down the mountain...the taxi driver was taking a short cut...the road...think over grown cow path....and the cows did not want to share the road...in fact when the driver honked the horn one turned around and squared off and stared at us. Also imagine "S" curve turns....many where you can not see where the road is going...looks like you will fly off the road into the air. Closed my eyes and held on...and prayed that I would not lose my life on a road in the Andes...phew I get another day.
I was then met by Meri Paz and Appo and their new baby Eduardo ...oh stinkin cute.
!!!
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Peru Mission 2014...
Made it to the incredible Sacred Valley. I left Portland on Sept 24 @ 5PM. Then departed LAX @ 12:15 on the 25th arriving in Lima at 1035 AM. Then the final leg of my journey leaving Lima at 1:20 arriving in Cuzco at 2:20.
It is hard to believe that this is my 10 trip to Peru. Times are changing...the Lima airport went from a rather 3rd world place to a modern place. One of the things that strikes me is how much more clean Lima is.
In Cuzco I am amazed at the amount of construction.
And here in Qoya the clinic has out grown it's space...a sign of the good work they do here. My first year there was not a full roof and a partially built 2nd floor. Now there are three bustling floors.
This evening I visited with Sandy and Guido the founders of the clinic. Not only am I in awe of the tremendous work they do...but over the many trips a friendship has developed. So it was very nice to just hang out and visit...when we start seeing patients it is hard to find a free moment.
It is hard to believe that this is my 10 trip to Peru. Times are changing...the Lima airport went from a rather 3rd world place to a modern place. One of the things that strikes me is how much more clean Lima is.
In Cuzco I am amazed at the amount of construction.
And here in Qoya the clinic has out grown it's space...a sign of the good work they do here. My first year there was not a full roof and a partially built 2nd floor. Now there are three bustling floors.
This evening I visited with Sandy and Guido the founders of the clinic. Not only am I in awe of the tremendous work they do...but over the many trips a friendship has developed. So it was very nice to just hang out and visit...when we start seeing patients it is hard to find a free moment.
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